from the shadows

“Hey, morning, you look good, managed to actually get a full night sleep for a change? I’m glad. . . what’s wrong?” The kiss, the kiss was familiar, more so then it had any right to be, more _right_ than he ever wanted it to be. “I got you, no matter what, you know that, right – “ the name that came out of his mouth sounded like white noise. The sense of dread struck a cord so deep, as his own words were drown out. (pt2)

It gets jack a bit of a..... confused look.

[txt: Em] i am not actually

[txt: Em] reading, mostly.

[txt: Em] hope the error reports have dwindled or disappeared at this point?

[txt: Em] i don’t have any fun facts about myself, emily

Laughter bubbles out of that ruined throat before he can help it. It’s loud and rasping, like concrete being broken along a tumble down. One hand leans back to brace against the counter as he shakes in mirth.

“Indeed,” he responds finally- taking a breath (though it’s no longer needed, not really.) “They act as if we cannot be monsters separate in our glorious vandalism of life and property.”

A hand lying over his chest, dramatically.

“Can they not see we were the real monsters, all along?”

Cue a very, very smug Reaper, maskless but entirely too amused at the laughing fit of his pale friend. Colleague. 

Co-monster.

Whatever label seems to fit them for the day.

Gabriel nods “We’re camped here for now but we do move when we hear of information on our bounties it best to have a base to retreat to when you need to regroup or if you’re split up.” He then moves to pull a cigarette out from under his poncho lighting it with a match before blowing smoke out of his mouth. Gabriel then coughed which sounded terribly chesty and Jack flicked his head up almost instantly and moved to look through Gabriel’s satchel pulling out a vial of mixed liquid.

“Gabriel what have I told you about skipping your medication?” Jack clearly didn’t look very happy but gave Gabriel the vial who then drank it. “I understand it is horrid but you have to take it.”

Gabriel then nodded and said nothing not wishing to appear weak or burdened to Reaper, his breathing was a little raspy and heavy for now though. He then watched as Jack returned the vial to his bag and then continued to cook the rabbit. His gaze then moved towards Reaper, it was clear that Gabriel suffered from some sort of condition that required frequent medication to keep it at bay.

It made sense; in their line of work and Gabriel’s both, it made no sense to really have only one home, but a place to return to was always good. It’s why he had safehouses spread all over, making sure to have a base camp of sorts, some supplies if he needed them. All of that-

All of this-

It made perfect sense.

And it still managed to leave a sour taste. Quietly, Gabriel just observed the soft, caring bickering between the two men, the way not-Gabriel’s shoulders hunched as coughs wracked his body - and even after, with the medicine swallowed down, he looks uncomfortable. Jack’s worry is - familiar, prompting a small smile behind Gabriel’s mask.

“Sorry to hear you’re not doing well,” he says conversationally, finally taking a seat near the fire and holding out gloved hands to the flames. The warmth suffuses even the leather and his nanites hum contently, pleased with the new source of heat despite having spent all day in the sun.

Insatiable fuckers.

Yes

jasp darling you always make me smile